Great news for international students to seek permanent residence under the new pathway :
Temporary public policy to facilitate the granting of permanent residence for foreign nationals in Canada, outside of Quebec, with a recent credential from a Canadian post-secondary institution.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/public-policies/trpr-international-graduates.html
News release
February 4, 2021—Ottawa — The ties that bind Canada and Hong Kong run deep. The first Hong Kong residents arrived here over 150 years ago, contributing immensely to Canada’s economic, social and political life. Canada continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong, and is deeply concerned about the new National Security Law and the deteriorating human rights situation there. Against this backdrop, in November 2020, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced several new initiatives to help more Hong Kong residents come to Canada.
Today, Minister Mendicino announced that Hong Kong residents will be able to apply for new open work permits beginning on February 8, 2021. Valid for up to 3 years, these permits will allow Hong Kong residents to gain valuable employment experience and make significant contributions to Canada. Hong Kong residents must have graduated with a Canadian post-secondary diploma or degree in the last 5 years, or hold an equivalent foreign credential. A post-secondary diploma program must be a minimum of 2 years.
Hong Kong residents currently in Canada temporarily, including visitors, students and workers, can apply online from within Canada. Those applying from abroad remain subject to current travel restrictions and may not be able to come to Canada at this time, unless they have a job offer or meet a travel exemption and comply with all public health requirements. More details will be available on the IRCC website on the launch date.
In addition to open work permits, the Government of Canada continues to implement 2 other pathways to permanent residence for young Hong Kong residents, which will be available later this year. The first will be for Hong Kong residents with at least 1 year of work experience in Canada and who meet the language and education criteria. The second will be for Hong Kong residents who have graduated from a post-secondary institution in Canada; who can then apply directly for permanent residence. More information will be available in due course.
On November 12, 2020, Minister Mendicino announced new immigration measures to support Hong Kong residents who wish to come to Canada to study, work and settle.
Eligible spouses or common-law partners, as well as dependent children, can also apply for a study or work permit, as appropriate.
These measures apply to Hong Kong residents who hold a Hong Kong special administrative region (SAR) or British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passport.
We have also implemented an exemption to the 12-month bar on a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) for Hong Kong residents—meaning that some individuals who were previously ineligible may now get another, updated assessment on whether they can stay in Canada.
Hong Kong residents at risk of persecution who have fled to another country may also be eligible under Canada’s existing resettlement programs, including the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program and the Government-Assisted Refugees Program.
On August 24, 2020, IRCC had announced a new temporary public policy which will allow visitors to apply for a work permit without having to leave Canada. Visitors who are currently in Canada and have a valid job offer will be able to apply for an employer-specific work permit and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave the country.
After the news release, I have received many phone calls, emails and chat messages if people can just simply switch from a Visitor to Worker status. It is nothing like that easy and it is never that simple when it comes to Immigration matters. Most of the people who contacted me read the news release in different ethnic news articles targeting at ethnic community, and it is misleading without further explaining the details of how to apply for a Work permit.
If you read the details of the news release on IRCC’s website, it is the same as people who apply for a Work Permit outside of Canada, the only advantage for Visitors in Canada is that they don’t need to leave Canada to apply for the Work Permit if they meet all other requirements.
To be eligible, an applicant looking to benefit from this temporary public policy must
have valid status in Canada as a visitor on the day they apply
have been in Canada on August 24, 2020 and remained in Canada
have a job offer
submit an application for an employer-specific work permit that is supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment, no later than March 31, 2021
meet all other standard admissibility criteria
You may find the full details of the official news release below:
As you can see from eligibility, having a job offer isn’t sufficient to apply without being supported by an approved LMIA from Service Canada for the employer.
Please always consult with a professional Immigration Consultant if you need to verify or confirm immigration updates to protect yourself from immigration fraud.
News release
January 8, 2021—Ottawa—International students bring so much to Canada, contributing over $21 billion annually to our economy and supporting the vitality of our communities. Yet the pandemic has presented myriad challenges for international students. Most notably, for many holders of a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), the pandemic’s disruption and uncertainty have jeopardized their chances of obtaining the work experience they need to apply for permanent residence.
As part of the Government of Canada’s efforts to support international students through this challenging time, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced that former international students who hold or held a PGWP will have the opportunity to apply for an open work permit.
Foreign nationals in Canada affected by the pandemic with an expired or expiring PGWP will have a unique chance to apply for another open work permit. These will be valid for 18 months and allow former international students to remain in Canada, continue to seek employment and build their future in this country.
The government has made significant efforts to encourage international students to settle permanently in Canada, as they help create jobs and fill labour shortages so our businesses can thrive. They bring strong employment and language skills, bolstered by their Canadian education and work experience, so they are typically well positioned to apply for permanent resident status. More than 58,000 graduates successfully applied to immigrate permanently in 2019, and their decisions to stay in Canada will help to address our stark demographic challenges.
As we confront the pandemic’s second wave and chart a course for our recovery, attracting skilled immigrants is a central part of our plan. This new policy will help more graduates fill pressing needs in areas like health care, technology and more. As we look forward, it will help even more former international students build their futures in Canada, contributing in ways large and small to our short-term recovery and long-term prosperity.
To apply for an open work permit under the public policy, an applicant must
have a PGWP that expired on or after January 30, 2020, or a PGWP that expires in 4 months or less from the date they apply
still be in Canada
have a valid temporary status, or be applying to restore their status
Applications will be open from January 27 to July 27, 2021.
Details on how to apply will be added to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website on January 27, 2021.
We are constantly working to raise the bar on our services. If you have any questions or concerns about your experience, please let us know.
info@canada-insights.com
R.C.I.C. #: R535097
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